Breech

Just a heads up, this post is basically going to be about me. So if you want to be reminded of Henry's cuteness or Ben's general awesomeness, please refer to any earlier post.

Now that I am in the 37th week of pregnancy (full term!), I am going through the typical discomfort, emotional craziness, and general feeling unattractive-ness (read: huge) that most women experience around now. I'm very self-conscious about my belly size, especially since people often comment on how large I am or stare at me like I'm some kind of spectacle (adults and children alike do this). I also have a hard time feeling pretty with what I consider to be such a swollen face. So the other day I took a few pictures to remind myself that pregnancy is a beautiful thing (as am I). Those are the pictures that I'm featuring here, to break up all my babbling (forgive the smudged mirror, these were quick photos taken on my way out the door).

I've been optimistic about not having another c-section, because this baby doesn't seem to be as big as her brother. But last week she decided she wanted to be breech. I've tried different "home remedies" to get her to move, but they just seem to have made her move further in the wrong position. The stinker.

Since I've already had a c-section, there aren't many doctors who would consider anything but a repeat c-section for a breech baby. The final say will be determined on Thursday, with my last ultrasound. If she is still breech (which is most likely at this point), we have a scheduled appointment for delivery on April 11. It's not at all what we wanted and I'm trying not to be disappointed. But our excitement is overriding most of the negative emotions I expected to feel. I figure if I'm one of 3% of pregnancies that ends breech, this just must be what needs to happen. And who could not be excited about getting to see their baby in only 12 days?

Sing Tangled

Every time we are in the car, Henry asks to "listen Tangled please." Recently he's started singing along, and not only to this soundtrack, but to other songs he knows. I find it ridiculously adorable. Forgive me for the orientation, shakiness and length (2 whole minutes) of the video. I just held up my phone while I was driving. I know, safe driver. 

Chocolate

This week, I got the best Christmas present ever. That's right, Christmas. Before I explain, I just have to say how great Ben is. Maybe I've been saying that a lot lately, and maybe it's just the pregnancy hormones talking, but I think it's true. He somehow knows what I want without me saying anything, and sometimes without me knowing myself. He definitely outdid himself this time.

For Christmas, Ben gave me an envelope with a piece of paper that said he had arranged for me to have a chocolate making class with our favorite local chocolatier, Pete.

He explained to me that he contacted Pete and basically talked him into teaching a class. It was held this past Monday night, and I've been thinking about it ever since.

It was a pretty simple class, two hours long, and really fun. We first learned how to make ganache, and we all had our own sample to add whatever flavors we wanted to. I chose cinnamon and allspice (which I rolled in pecans. Turned out pretty well if you ask me).

Since you have to let ganache sit for a couple of days, Pete then brought out a few flavors he had already made, and we rolled a few to take home. When I say a few, I mean 15. In addition to the ganache which makes a dozen truffles, and the two pounds of chocolate I got to make my own truffles at home. So we're pretty set chocolate-wise.

We also had a chocolate tasting, with different brands and levels of darkness. There was even a 100% and a cocoa bean to try. We talked about the different notes and complexities of each one. Yeah, we were pretty fancy.

So now I have all these plans for different flavors I want to try. Not to mention the different techniques I want to learn/improve on. Everywhere I go, I'm looking for different ideas. And the really cool laser thermometer I've decided I have to have.

This is my selfie excited face

Ouch

The past couple of days have been a bit dramatic (traumatic?). Wednesday night, I was trying to simultaneously talk on the phone and walk down the stairs when my feet slipped out from under me and I fell down about six or seven stairs on my backside. I calmly (who are we kidding, I'm sure I sounded hysterical) told my brother I would call him back and then immediately burst into tears. Pain. Luckily Ben was home to calm me down and help me up, though I think I gave him quite a scare. 

I had my 30 week check up Thursday, where I mentioned that I was in pain from falling down the stairs the night before. Apparently I should have called my doctor right away, which honestly didn't occur to me since my abdomen wasn't even slightly bumped. It's strictly a tailbone injury. My doctor told me that when pregnant women have a serious fall, they need to be monitored for a few hours to make sure the placenta hasn't detached from the impact. Whoah. Not exactly what I was expecting to hear. 

So instead of going to my hair appointment that I had been looking forward to (silly maybe, but it's the little things that make my large self feel better), I had to find someone to watch Henry for the rest of the day while I was in the hospital. Luckily we have amazing friends who will take him at the drop of a hat. 

For the first time in over two years, I got to sit on a bed with monitors that are not at all itchy in a hospital gown designed to show any bits of skin you would never want anyone to see, and worry about the life of my unborn child. Oh, and listen to screaming women in labor. I'm re-thinking my decision to go through that again. 

I had a lot of blood taken and I was told I would have to be monitored for at least four hours, but after only 3 1/2 they seemed satisfied and released me. Which was a nice surprise. Those beds do not lend the best support to bruised tail bones. Plus I got to see another ultrasound, and the technician told me that at least he couldn't see anything to tell me she was in fact a boy. Still not the definitive answer we have been hoping for, but nice nonetheless.

I spent the rest of the day (and today for that matter) doing nothing that doesn't involve sitting on my couch, on the boppy I'm using as a makeshift doughnut. Except for the trip Henry and I took to have breakfast for dinner last night. It was a very nice distraction. For the most part, if I don't move it's not too bad. Another amazing friend offered to take Henry for a few hours today, which was really helpful. It's good to know our little girl is safe, and I have learned to give stairs my full attention in the future. 

Photo....Monday

A few months ago the auto focus on our camera broke, so we ended up sending it back in to Nikon to get fixed. They had it for a couple of weeks, but we got it back in working order last week, so I celebrated by taking lots and lots of pictures. This small (ish) selection gives a glimpse of our daily lives, including Henry's love for hats, balls and "weapons", Ben's baking skills, why I usually fold laundry while Henry is sleeping, and where Henry gets his new favorite face from (please note that none of these pictures are staged).

Great Expressions

Ben started a new job this week. It's one that kind of came out of nowhere for us, but seems like a really good opportunity. Ben wasn't looking for a new job when a recruiter contacted him about a position with Great Expressions, a company that acquires and runs dental practices, but we decided to go ahead and apply and see what they said/offered. Let's face it, it feels pretty good to know people want you.

Sure enough, in mid-December he was offered a position. It's a good step up for Ben--he's an executive now and he identifies and buys dental practices. Which is about as close to following in his dad's professional (dentist) footsteps as I think Ben will get. He is having to adjust to a smaller company, without the perks and budget of a top four accounting firm. To me that just means no more tickets to fancy events with VIP treatment.

This job seems like a great blessing for many reasons, one of which is that it is more in line with what Ben would like to do. Plus it brings us one step closer to our dream of owning an orchard. Not to mention the biggest bonus for me--since it's in Bloomfield Hills (about five minutes from our temple), if we decide to stay here long term there's a good possibility of moving further out of the city. I have wanted to move up to that area since we came to Michigan, but we didn't like the idea of an hour-long commute.

I personally am very proud of Ben for getting this job. Just over 2 years ago he was fresh out of college and had no idea what he was doing at a new job. He has gotten so many compliments from both KPMG and Great Expressions about how skilled he is now. Sometimes, just briefly, I take for granted how impressive and hard of a worker he is. So to make up for that, I have an abbreviated list of reasons why Ben is great.

• He loves everyone, and people always seem to like him right away too (which is good, because people and I do not have that same relationship).
• He likes to shop. I mean, he doesn't just put up with it, but he really enjoys it, especially with me.
• Whenever I mention something that I want to do, he encourages me to do it and researches it himself. Not to do one day, but to do now. Even if it's something crazy like take chocolate making classes or go back to grad school.
• He would be the one to be pregnant in a heartbeat. Not just to ease my discomfort, but mostly because he would like to experience it too.
• He likes to bring me little treats from work, like popcorn or hot chocolate or a candy bar someone gave him.
• He cannot take a compliment. Whenever I tell him he's handsome, his response is to contort his face.
• He's an amazing dad. I would be jealous of Henry if I didn't have such a great one myself. The two of them spend most of their time together giggling, and I never know what I'm going to walk in on. For example, one night Ben was supposed to be getting Henry ready for bed, but instead what I saw when I came into Henry's room was Ben holding Henry by the ankles while Henry was going head first through his basketball hoop.
• I can see very clearly how he makes me a better person. I don't know how he does it, but he improves me and makes me want to be better. Or at the very least want to want to be better....

Christmas and stuff

We spent Christmas in Missouri, with my brother Geoff who got home from his mission. Henry and I flew down the day he came home to be there at the airport with him. Ben came later and we stayed until New Years Eve. Since coming back, we've mostly been stuck at home on account of the most snow we've ever seen fall at one time. Luckily Henry has lots of new toys to distract him, and I am overcome with pregnancy craftiness, currently taking the form of knitting (Note the mittens and ear warmer I am wearing in the snowy pictures. Talent).